A majority – 51 percent – of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers continue to hide their identity from most or all co-workers, according to a new report released today from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that examines the real-life experiences of LGBT workers. The report, “Degrees of Equality: A National Study Examining Workplace Climate for LGBT Employees,” found that, despite significant advances in employment policies at major U.S. corporations, a majority of LGBT workers continue to experience a range of negative consequences because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Younger workers are even more likely to hide their LGBT identity – only 5 percent of LGBT employees ages 18 to 24 say they are totally open at work, compared to more than 20 percent in older age cohorts. The report is available for download at www.DegreesOfEquality.org.

You’ve heard his voice. If you watch television, listen to radio or go to the movies you have heard Ben Patrick Johnson.

Ben is one of the top voice over announcers in Hollywood. He’s the guy who says, “In a world . . . “ for major motion pictures like Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, Borat, and just about every Adam Sandler movie you can name. His voice is also heard on all major networks promoting shows like Cold Case and House. His voice is literally heard hundreds of times every day by millions of Americans.

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is pleased to announce that it has joined America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance), the nation’s largest partnership alliance of more than 300 corporations, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and advocacy groups that are dedicated to improving lives and changing outcomes for children.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today commended FOX on the inclusion of same-sex dance couple Jacob Jason and Willem De Vries on the September 16, 2009 episode of “So You Think You Can Dance.” It was also announced today that openly gay director and choreographer Adam Shankman will become a permanent judge on the show beginning October 27.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, released a statement today on the Ohio House of Representatives voting on Tuesday 56 to 39 to approve the Equal Housing and Employment Act (HB 176), which would outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices. The bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration. If passed by the state senate and signed into law, Ohio will become the twenty-second U.S. state to ban workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and the thirteenth to ban such discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, is continuing its partnership with ya es hora, a coalition of faith, labor, media, and community-based organizations, to host a series of volunteer citizenship workshops as part of a civic engagement campaign aimed at providing immigrants with resources to apply for citizenship and to become active participants in U.S. democracy. Participating partners will hold press conferences in Boston, Chicago, San Diego, and Phoenix to highlight the importance of the campaign.